Empowering Indigenous voices in disaster response: Applying the Mauri Model to New Zealand's worst environmental maritime disaster

Workshops, community hui (meetings) and GIS techniques to gather the relevant local and traditional knowledge

CEREMONY – Spiritual and Traditional practices

Mauri Model Decision Making Framework - combines a stakeholder worldview analysis with an indicator assessment to determine the absolute sustainability of the scenario, option or decision being assessed, using the M ¯aori concept of mauri as the base metric (Morgan, 2006 a, 2008 ). Mauri can be defined as a life force; the force which binds the physical to the spiritual, or the capacity to support life…" (p. 987)

Kaupapa M ¯aori research model
Mauri meter indicator assessment

This article looks at the disaster response in 2011 when the MV Rena ran aground on Otaiti, a reef located 27 kilometres off the coast of New Zealand, and the cleanup process that followed. In particular, this article details how the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework and indigenous based methodologies empowered Te Arawa ki Tai in the recovery process. A series of indicator sets were co-created, inclusive of scientific and indigenous knowledge, bringing a cultural perspective to the environmental restoration process and accounting for the "mauri" (life force or life supporting capacity) in the affected area's recovery plan.

Critical Systems Heuristics as crucial to engagement with Indigenous Peoples & issues effecting them
Mauri Model Decision Making Framework – "mauri, the measure of sustainability, has four constituent dimensions: the mauri of the ecosystem, the mauri of the hap ¯u (sub-tribal grouping), the mauri of the com- munity (non-culturally based community aspects) and the mauri of the wh ¯anau (family unit)." (p. 987)
Kaupapa M ¯aori research model

"… the ethos of Kaupapa M ¯aori re- search traditions was upheld: "research for M ¯aori, by M ¯aori and with M ¯aori"( Smith, 1999 )." (p. 989)
• whakapapa (genealogical links) with some of the affected iwi, as well as the third re- searcher being M ¯aori, but without genealogical links to any of the impacted iwi (tribes).

Boundary critique is the process of exploring the boundaries of the system being studied, as part of a systemic intervention p. 987
Critical Systems Heuristics - a methodology to support the rational identification of boundaries through dialogue with stakeholders,

"One of the first actions as part of this research project in January, 2013, was to charter a launch vessel to take the participant group to the wreck site. This was significant, as it was the first time that any iwi were allowed within the exclusion zone to visit the Ot ¯aiti, as the early recovery stages were still underway. Also, this allowed the kaum ¯atua (elders) to recite the appropriate karakia (incantations/prayers) associated with Ot ¯aiti, in order for the spiritual recovery of the reef and iwi to begin. This first post Rena visit to the reef provided the necessary cultural and spiritual platform for which the research and work could be completed with the participant iwi group." (p. 990) (CEREMONY AS HEALING/CHANGE)

Traditional stories, maps, testimony, indicator sets developed with the Te Arawa ki Tai participants

Research partnership with community ensured thorough understanding of methodologies and frameworks that community could then use to further their interests beyond this project

digitized version of the Mauri Model, mauriometer.com, a free-to-use web-based version of the framework

"The process of using the Mauri Model Decision Making Frame- work has helped Te Arawa ki Tai to identify areas where it is possible to make some meaningful progress towards furthering their iwi's aspirations regarding the recovery and the future of Ot ¯aiti." (p.992)

"Overall, the systemic intervention resulted in positive outcomes, with the participant group having a sense of ownership and active contribution to this re- search, heavily influencing key aspects of the model's formation and assessment. The resultant co-dependent relationship, between researchers and participants, has provided a meaningful outcome for the participant group who have gone on to successfully pursue their iwi's interests with the Rena's owners regarding the mauri of the reef and their iwi, using the Model as part of their own sub- missions regarding the resource consent to leave the remnants of the wreck on the reef." (p. 992)

"The transferability of the Mauri Model Decision Making Frame- work identifies it as a potential pathway to more sustainable decisions and actions. Thus, through integrating systems techniques and the indigenous concept of Mauri, the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework creates a new approach to cross-cultural communication and action." (p. 993)

Civil and Environmental Engineering; Operational Research; Boundary Critique Theory